The Draft [Mass Market Paperback]

Wil Mara (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 28, 2007

It's draft time in the National Football League. For most high-ranking team executives, this means endless days of high-stakes negotiations. But for Baltimore Ravens General Manager Jon Sabino--who has two consecutive Super Bowl victories under his belt--hiring new talent is the last thing on his mind…until his star quarterback gets into a car accident that leaves him unable to play. With his eyes on an unprecedented third Lombardi Trophy, Sabino sees only one option: acquiring guaranteed first pick Christian McKinley, the quarterback phenom from Michigan. But at what price?

The San Diego Chargers, who presently hold that pick, are not interested in McKinley--so they'll offer it to the highest bidder. Now Sabino must jump into a cut-throat competition in which old friends become mortal enemies, and no one--not even your allies--can be trusted. The "McKinley Sweepstakes" could very well be the make-or-break moment of Sabino's career, and the fork in the road that leads him and his team either into the history books--or to the tepid hell of mediocrity….
 

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Off-field maneuvering takes center stage in the prolific Mara's tepid behind-the-scenes take on professional football. Jon Sabino, the general manager of the back-to-back Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens, is a front-office genius, but even he's stumped when the team's star quarterback is seriously injured in a car crash just two weeks before the annual college draft. Under pressure to capture a historic third consecutive Super Bowl title, Sabino has to put together a deal to secure the first pick in the draft and take the can't-miss quarterback from Michigan, Christian McKinley. Mara (Wave and many biographies) juggles several subplots—a rival GM who hates Sabino and recruits a disgruntled employee to spy on him, a gifted young quarterback who spurns the NFL because of what once happened to his father's promising football career and a star receiver who's self-medicating to hide an injury—that eventually merge into a sappy denouement. The novel has its moments of tension and drama, but they're undercut by uninspired prose (one character is "faintly aware" twice on the same page) and paper-thin characters. (Oct. 27)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"The Draft provides…intriguing insight into a process that can be as competitive as those that occur on the gridiron itself."--Marv Levy, Hall of Fame head coach and general manager of the Buffalo Bills
 
"Must reading…for any football fan."--Bill Polian, president of the [Super Bowl Champion] Indianapolis Colts

 

"The Draft is a fascinating novel about what can go on behind the scenes in an NFL front office--the intrigue and maneuvering. It is terrific reading for the fan who wonders how these trades and deals are made." --Ernie Accorsi, general manager of the New York Giants
 
"A smartly crafted and highly engrossing novel about deals, decisions, and desperation in the world of pro football. The characters are marvelously drawn, and the writing is razor's-edge sharp. If you are a fan of this game, then The Draft is one book you absolutely must read."
--Peter Golenbock, author of Landry's Boys
 
"There couldn't be a better time for a book like Wil Mara's The Draft. It gives fans a glimpse into parts of the NFL that they wouldn't see otherwise. I was very impressed by Wil's attention to detail, and by the great storyline he created. As a former player, I can honestly say he really nailed it. The emotion, the excitement, the suspense--everything is right here. I was amazed."
--Jon Harris, defensive end and first-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles, 1997 NFL draft

 

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (August 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312947798
• ISBN-13: 978-0312947798
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,962,351 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Wil Mara, a lifelong fan of the National Football League, is the author of more than seventy-five books. He has written both fiction and nonfiction, for both children and adults. Aside from his "NFL novels," he also wrote the 2005 disaster thriller Wave, which won the 2005 New Jersey Notable Book Award.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A look behind the curtain, September 16, 2009

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R Rated "Keeping it real" (North Georgia) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Draft (Mass Market Paperback)

At last, a story on the NFL that has real credibility as to what a NFL GM has to deal with and encounter during his time in the golden chair. There's pressure in any meaningful job but the kind depicted by Wil Mara in this novel is the type you can actually feel and, for me, experience a vicarious kinship with the GM. But, Mara goes deeper into the psyche and motivation of the agent, player, coach, capologist, owner and even the team physcian.

Being a devout NFL fan for many decades, I started the book with skepticism as to how authentic the storylines would be and unfold. After about 10 pages, I was hooked and could barely put the book down. Mara is a skilled writer and excellent story teller plus he obviously knows a great deal about the inner workings of the NFL at the franchise level. The only criticism I have, and it's a minor one, are the trade scenarios the various GMs either put together for a package offering or the one team, San Diego in this case, asking for deals that would make the old Herchell Walker trade from the 'Boys to the Vikes back in the day look mild in comparison.

A little unrealistic in this modern NFL that a team would forfeit that much talent and picks for one player. Other than that, a first rate story and read.

3.0 out of 5 stars I found it entertaining..., July 13, 2008

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M. Choi (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Draft (Mass Market Paperback)

but I am biased since I'm a Ravens fan. It was great for me simply because the fictional story revolves around the Ravens, but I wouldn't be surprised if most people found the book less than satisfying.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great insights into the NFL, April 9, 2008

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Dallas "Support our troops" (Saint Augustine, FL, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Draft (Mass Market Paperback)

This book was great if you want to see what its like behind the scenes in the NFL. I read this is just 2 sittings. It was impossiable to put down. It is very well written. It brings you into the book from the start.
It starts with a General Manager who just won back to back Super Bowls and takes you thru the off season and his desire to win a third straight, but his QB is injured in a car accident. Well I won't give the rest of it away but it is a great book.